Ribbon mechanism for type-writing machines.



L. G. MYERS.

RIBBON MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION TILED JUNE 1, 1910.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 BHEETBSHBET 1.

WITNESSES.

@MKQW AYTUR/VEV L. O. MYERS.

RIBBON MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 1, 1910.

1,072,148. Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: I INVENTOR f Maw AITOR/VEY 'nnriin srairns ratrnnir ornien LEWIS G. MYERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNQR TO ROYAL TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. 1 A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

RIBBON MECHANISM FOR. TYPE--W'RITING MACHINES.

Pal cntcdhvcpt. f5, 1912;.

Application filed. June 1, 1910. Serial No. 564,380.

..,, a like view showing the parts LQFZJQ S, Specification 01' Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern lie it known that I, lniwis (l. illvnns, a citizen of the United States of ,timerica, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, city and State out New ii'ork, have invented certain ln'iprovements in Ribbon h'lechanism tor 'llyped i ritmg lvlachines, of which the tollowing is a specification.

This invention comprises a novel means oil, at the will of the operator in'lparting to a ribbon vibrator diitt'erent extents oil movement in order that printing may be ellecled from ditlj'erent areas or zones of a ribbon o't unlike character or color. Combined with such mechanism, are stop means adjustable sinmltancously with the ribbon vibrating adjusting means and acting to positively limit the extent of movement of the ribbon 'ibrator.

Ribbon mechanism constructed in accord anee with this invention comprises a ribbon vibrator operated by an elbow lever rocking about an axis fixed in its relation to the platen and actuated by endwise movement of a link, rod, or arm moved by the universal bar. This link has a plurality of normal positions, in one of which the vibrator stands in such position that when the link is actuated by the universal bar printing will occur from the upper zone of the printing ribbon and in another position of the link it is advanced so that the eorrespending position of the vibrator is higher and then when the link moved by the universal bar printing may occur from a lower zone of the ribbon. This arrangement attords a substantiz'illy uniform load on the linger pieces of the machine and is in construction radically distinguished from ribbon mechanisms in which the fulcrum or leverage of the vibrator operating lever is shi't'ted to etl eet printing from the upper and lower zones of printing ribbons. From this it will be seen that the ribbon mechanism herein disclosed is eharacteristically difl'erent from those heretoit'ore proposed in which n-inting from ditl'erent zones of a ribbon is effected by shifting the pivot of the vibrator acti'iating arm or lover, or shitting the point relatively to its pivot at which power is applied thereto.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical. longitudinal sectional view showing the parts in position to client print ing from the lower zone of a two zone rib- I v boo, ling.

in position for eti'ecting printing from the upper zone of a two zone ribbon; Fig. 33, a like view showing the parts in position for stencil work in which case the ribbon vibratel-remains at rest; and llig. t, is a plan view.

1 indicates a vertically shi't'table platen; 2 an ordinary type bar guide; 3, a ribbon vibrator vertically movable on the guide; and t, the ribbon.

i3 is the carriage shift rail. Centrally ol the machine, there is secured to the underside of the shit't rail a, plate (5 provided or formed with an upwardly extending part (3 and a downwardly extending part (3. In the lower cud (it the latter part is pivoled a ribbon vibrating bell crank lever whose longer arm 7 extends forwardly and jointed at its front end to the lower end ot' the ribbon. vibrator 3. In rear of the pivot: 7 of this bell crank lever it has an extension to which is connected a coiled spring 8 whose upper end is attached to the upward extension (3 of plate (3. The downwardly extending part (3 of part (3 has a lateral extending lug a: which acts as a stop for the ribbon vibrator bell crank lover T ()n the downwindly extending part (F secured a horizontally disposed for- \vardly-oxteiuling leaf spring E). In arms or lugs 10 extending down from the sheet metal part (3 is pivoted a rock shaft 11 on which. about centrally of the machine, is secured a hub 12 having at one end an enlargemcnt of irregular contour having surfaces a, 7), c,----the surfaces (1, (a, converging to Form the point or surface 7). Above or beyond the [lat faces a, c, the enlargement is termed with three flat or out out surfaces with which the leai' spring 9 engages to hold the hub in either of three positions. A downwardly projecting arm 13 on the rock shaft to the right of the center of the machine has connected to it the rear end of a link l t extending -tm-wardly and mnnccted to the end of a radial arm 1!) on the lower and ot a vertical sha'tt 1(3 whose upper end, above the top plate or dust shed 17, has applied to it an operating pointer arm 18; and on. the top oil the plate are inscribed guides for the adjustment of the arm 18 as 'loll(m's,-tl1e words bottom, top and stencil Projecting from shaft 11 between hub 12 and arm 13 is an arm 19 in line with or at the same angle as the arm 13, and having pivoted to it at 19 the front end of a link 20 whose rear end is pivoted at 21 to the rearwardly projecting end of a curved or S- shaped arm 22 extending downwardly from a sleeve 23 rotatably mounted upon the transverse rod 24 of the carriage. The inner end of this sleeve lies approximately in the center of the machine and has a rearwardly projecting arm 25 to which pivoted the upper end of a curved link 26 whose lower end is pivoted at 26 to the rear end of an irregular shaped bar or link 27 whose front end is pivoted to the end of the short downwardly extending arm 7 of the ribbon vibrator bell crank. The link 27 adja cent its rear end has an offset or upwardly extending part in the rear edge of which are two notches,one 28 substantially in line with the straight part of the body of the link; and another 29 above and somewhat in rear of the recess 28; and from the top of the recess 29 the link extends rearwardly to its point of connection 26 with the link 26 extending downwardly from sleeve 23.

Adjacent each side of the carriage, as is well understood, are pendant swinging arms 30 connected by cross rods 31, 33, and'centrally of the machine the rods carry a plate 32, the whole being the universal bar adapted to be operated by endwise movable hooked links 34 as is well understood. The center plate 32 has an enlargement on its rear edge carrying a lateral projection 35 adapted to engage either of the notches 28, 29, in the ofiset end of bar or link 27. The position of the crank arm or pointer 18 determines the extent of movement of the ribbon vibrator and also the adjustment of the stop devices. Thus, in Fig. 1, the adjustment index arm 18 has been set to point to bottom thereby selecting the lower zone of the ribbon for printing. Link 14 connected with arm 13 has turned shaft 11 so that stop surface a is immediately opposite the long arm 7 of the ribbon vibrator bell crank. The-other arm 19 on shaft 11 has through link 20 drawn forward the end of the S- shaped arm 22 thereby lowering curved link- 26 so that recess 29 in the rear edge of link 27 is engaged by the link actuating projection 35. When, therefore, in the printing operation of the machine, the universal bar is drawn forward, projection 35 acting upon link 27, carries it forward endwise and raises the ribbon vibrator to its maximum upper position to print from the lower Zone of the ribbon, the movement being positively arrested when arm 7 ofthe bell crank lever abuts against stop surface a. Fig. 2 shows the part in position when the index, as in Fig. 4, points to the word top. The contactsurface 5, farthest away from the rock shaft, is now above and opposite arm 7 of the bell crank lever and the rear end of link 27 has been raised by the rear thrust of link 20 until the surface of recess 28 of link 27 is opposite the link operating projection 35 and, consequently, on the forward movement of the universal bar, a shorter throw will be imparted to the ribbon vibrator and its movement positively limited by arm 7 of the bell crank coming in contact with the stop surface 7). When the index arm 18 has been tuned to point to stencil, the parts will be in the position indicated in Fig. 3. Surface 0 will nowbe above and opposite the arm 7 of the bell crank lever and the rear end of link 27 has been raised so far that it is not engaged by the actuating projection 35 when the universal bar is drawn forward. The ribbon, therefore, remains at rest. The arm 22 is curved in order that it may swing under the cross rod 31.

4:0 indicates stops fixed in the rear plate of the frame and serving to limit the rearward movement of the swinging links 32 that carry the universal bar. Suitable spings are, of course, to be applied to control the action of the universal barand other parts. It will appear from a comparison of Fig. 1 vith Fig. 2 that when the parts are adjusted to effect printing from the lower zone of the ribbon, link 27 is pushed forward somewhat eyond the normal position indicated in Fig.2. The effect of this, of course, is to partly lift the ribbon. Ordinarily in vibrating ribbon movements, when the ribbon is in inactive position, its upper edge is a substantial distance below the line of print and this is true whether the adjustment is for printing from the upper or lower zone. Since printing from the lower zone of a ribbon is OCCiLSlOIliLl{LSCODIPHI'CCl with the relatively constant use of the upper zone, I have found it is feasible and safe to establish two normal lower positions of the rib bon, one that it occupies when the adjustment is for printing from the upper zone and another higher position that it occupies when the adjustment is for printing from the lower zone. Tn printing from the upper zone, the minimum throw of thevibrator occurs.

One of the features of this invention is to reduce the maximum throw that occurs when printing from the lower zone and thereby equalize the load on the finger pieces of the machine. The parts are so related and proportioned that when adjusted, as in Fig. 1, the projection 35 cams forward the bar or link 27 and lifts the ribbon to the normally inactive position it occupies when the printing is to be efiected from the lower zone. The distance that the ribbon moves from its normal inactive position for lower zone printing is, therefore, reduced by the distance the ribbon is lifted by the caming action of projection 35 above its llllU normally inactive position for upper zone printing. This result may, of course, be obtained in a variety of ways and the invention is not limited to the special mechanism illustrated.

I claim:

1. The ()UllllJllltltlUIi with the platen of a visible writing machine, of ribbon mechanism comprising a ribbon vibrator, a vibrator operating bell crank lever turning about an axis fixed with respect to the platen and having its longer arm connected to the vibrator, an endwise movable bar connected to the shorter arm of the bell crank, means for adjusting said bar so that the vibrator will stand in low position for printing from the upper zone of a ribbon and in higher position for printing from a lower zone of the ribbon, and means for actuating said bar when in either of its adjusted positions to carry the ribbon to printing position.

2. The combination with the platen of a visible writing machine of ribbon mechanism com n'ising a ribbon vibrator, a lever serving to effect actuation of the vibrator for printing operations, an endwise movable bar acting to determine the position of said lever and to actuate it to effect printing operations, means whereby said endwise movable bar is adjusted endwise to set the ribbon vibrator in either upper or lower position to effect printing from an upper or lower zone of a ribbon and means for actuating the endwise movable bar to effect printing when the viln'ator is in either posit-ion.

In ribbon mechanism for a visible writing machine, the combination of a ribbon vibrator, an elbow lever for actuating the ribbon vibrator, a pivotal support for the elbow lever having fixed relation to the platen of the machine, an endwise movable bar connected with the short arm of the elbow lever a swinging universal bar frame having a part engaging the end of the endwise movable bar to actuate it, means for raising and lowering the end of the cndwise movable bar, means whereby when the endwise movable bar is raised or lowered it is moved endwise to adjust the position of the elbow lever and means whereby when the universal bar is actuated the endwise movable bar is operalral to cll'ect a printing OPOlittiOIl.

i. The combination with the shifting platen of a visible writing machine, of ribbon mechanism comprising a ribbon vibrator actuating lever, a pivot therefor fixed in its relation to the shifting platen of the machine, means for setting the lever to normally hold the vibrator in low position to ell'ect printing from an upper zone of the ribbon or to normally hold it in elevated position to effect printing from a lower zone of the ribbon and means for actuating the lever from either of such positions to eii'ect a printing operation.

5. Ribbon mechanism for a visible writing machine comprising the combination of a swinging universal bar frame having a projection thereon, a ribbon vibrator actuating link 2'? having at its end two surfaces 2S, 2!), in dillerent planes, and a cam poo tion intermediate said surfaces with which surfaces and cam portion the projection engages, means for raising and lowering the link whereby the link is set in one position for printing from an upper zone of a ribbon and is cammcd to another position for printing from a lower zone of the ribbon.

(S. Ribbon mechanism for a visible writing machine cinnprising the combination of a ribbon vibrator operating bell crank lever having arms of unequal length a bar having one end applied to the short arm of the, bell crank lever and provided at its other end with an angularlydisposed portion with surfaces 28, 2f), at. different distances from the point of connection to the bell crank lever, and intermediate said surfaces a cam face, means for raising and lowering the free end of the bar, a universal bar and means moving therewith and cooperating with said cam face and surjlaces to position the bell crank lever and operate it on actuation of the uni versal bar.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

\Vitnesses i E. B. Ilnss, L. 1*. BROWNING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

